SABARIMALAI

The queen to get rid of Manikanta for ever feigned severe sickness and ordered for leopard's milk for ever cure. With the connivance of the scheaming Diwan and hench men, he managed to send Manikanta to the forest on this work. The King having realised Manikanta's real form, agreed and awaited his sure arrival with the leopards milk. Manikantha brushing aside his father's proposal of sending hunters for help on the ground that the leopards would be frightened at their sight went alone. And he was a renowned hunter and warrior by then.

His coming to the forest was eagerly awaited by sages And gods, who transformed themselves into wild animals and offered the desired milk. Devendra taking the form of tiger carried him to the palace. When he reached the Palace riding the tiger followed by packs of leopards, the queen's sickness took to heels. While Rajasekhara witnessed the divine drama, Just then, the holy sage Agasthya arrived and narrated the divine mission and said that he had, to hurry to Devaloka for killing Mahishi, and the 12 years servitude was over too. 

Before leaving, he ordained that a temple with 18 steps to be built on the sacred Sabarimalai. It was carried out, besides prescribing a code of injunctions for the devotee pilgrim, as directed. They are implemented since then with utmost reverence.

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